Is the Brown offer a "con"?
I wasn't in the office yesterday so didn't get blogging about Gordon Brown's £1 billion offer. It's looking definitely good enough for Martin McGuinness, almost certainly good enough for David Cameron and probably good enough for Peter Robinson.
However today the TUV's Jim Allister thought he had spotted a sleight of hand in the Prime Minister's package. claiming that any cash drawn from the UK contingency fund would have to be paid back, so could a have a negative impact on services such as education and health.
Not so, claims Jeffrey Donaldson. He accuses the TUV of scaremongering and insists the assertion that the money is a loan is "plain and simply wrong".
(UPDATE: The NIO has also weighed in this evening insisting that "this claim is without foundation. HM Treasury are not requiring Reserve claims to be repaid in this case".)
With different money matters in mind, brace yourself for more information on MLA expenses. Breakdowns going back to 2003 will be available on the Assembly website from tomorrow. Some of the material will mirror what has already been put in the public domain by Good Morning Ulster, but there may be further details.
Far from having what Sammy Wilson would call "an unhealthy obsession" with expenses I have to confess I find the business of scanning through page after page of utility bills and photocopying charges pretty mind numbing. So I'm rather glad that some time ago I booked tomorrow off for a bit of half term leave (although I am returning to the hot seat alongside Jim for Saturday's Ulster Unionist conference). But one plea to Sammy - update your Commons register of interests! A regular reader has pointed out to me you still haven't put down your Finance Minister's job or any estimate of how many hours your council, MLA and academic jobs take out of your working week.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~13~RS~)
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OK lets cut to the chase...
1. Assembly Spy
Mark,
I have said your name, please mention me. I really, really want to be you. Mark, Mark...
2. Snoozy Dud
OPEN LETTER TO MOHAMED ALI
Oh Mighty Exalted One, I kneel before thee,
Great Ali, World Boxing Champion, I write to you this day, forthwith, herewith, viz a vis, anon, to bring an urgent matter to your, float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, attention. Some time in the future you may be approached by a delegation of a Northern Irish person, who forthwith will attempt to solicit monies from your good self viz a vis some lucky heather. I beseech thee great Ali before remunerating said monies that you first determine if this person is from the DUP... ... zzzzzz
3. SPAMSPAMSPAM
Aye sure aye, the craic an' all, an' the banter, wee bit of banter. oh those BBC minders, no no, oh no. I'm away to have a wee fish supper.
4. SPAMSPAMSPAM
Me again, did you miss me? lovely wee bit of fish that was, sure aye, them minders are trying to stop the banter, that's for sure.
5. SPAMSPAMSPAM
Ha! they didn't stop that one, 'Auntie' musta been puttin' her curlers in. Will be back ad nauseum to keep the banter alive. Night night Assembly spy. Night night Snoozy.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Mark
ULSTER'S FASCISTS LOOK FORWARD TO QUESTION TIME
Tonight's a big night for Ulster's Fascists.
They will be looking forward to Nick Griffin's appearance on Question Time in light of their having voted in droves for the DUP/Sinn Féin Fascist Coalition that is now running the show.
Happy Days!
Susie
Carryduff
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irishmojojojo,
Is it ok to address you by that? You sure now?? Out of manners and courtesy people normally address the person they are speaking to by putting their name. If that is too hard to handle go ask your education minister for advice. Maybe you have already done that and that is why you got it wrong.
By your pathetic attempts to insult I gather you are on the side of Sinn Fein the Fascist coalition. Want to learn a few tricks? Tune into Question Time at 10.35pm on BBC1.
Stormontspy
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irishmojojojo
You try to be a puzzle!
Are you that wee girl,with the stutter,from Ballymena?
You enjoy a laugh?
Being slapped with a battered fish or just dressing up?
Worked you out!It was the "irish" handle,that's the clue!
Your pretending to be that cartoon monkey,who keeps its
brain in a jar,and is coloured green!
That's you!!!
"sting" like a butterfly ????????????
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Mark,
wee Sammy must be refering to you,creating an "unheathy obsession",
through the Devenport Diaries.
If going through expense claims,invoices etc is mind numbing,
why don't you send a copy of the disc to 2/3 posters ???
You forgot to mention Sammy's MP's job !!!
Can't do without that £200k !!!
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Mark,
What happened to Post 2? Does the truth hurt or are you helping promote the fascist agenda?
Stormontspy
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Posted too soon.
About to say that our "poster" from the North-West will
have a comment to make,in the usual considered way !!!
Who should I look at now ?
Why don't the Devenport Diaries publish end of year awards !!!
The MLA who claimed the greatest/least ammount ?
Rent
Sec Services
Printing ink
Research
Mobile phones
Landline connections
Internet
Furniture
Decoration
Office expense
Office Improvements
Luxury goods etc etc etc
CEASE THIS GREED NOW
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Spinspamspun,
How about also -
Replacement of windows
Office Cleaning
Computer case
Brief case
Signage
Water coolers
Coffee makers
Sofas
Walnut Desk
Those not practising what they preach.
Should be interesting!!
Stormontspy
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# 8
Why? Don't understand!
Post re expenses of 4 MLA's
Robinson,Newton,O'Neill and Sammy !
Research and telephone claims !
Wish you could explain !
Surely it can't be the remarks made
between FM/DFM in the USA ?
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Mark
DIRECTOR GENERAL GIVES CLEAN BILL OF FINANCIAL HEALTH TO MLAs
No, not the BBC's Director General but the Assembly Commission's DG.
There he was on Friday's Good Morning Ulster, a Public Servant, giving his considered view about what an upstanding lot of MLAs we have in our Assembly. His classic line: "They are providing the taxpayer with value for money." is sure to come back to haunt him.
Even on cursory examination of the breakdown of MLA expenses, anyone with half a brain would realise that the prevalence of self certification of invoices is wide open to abuse, for example, MLAs paying themselves (eg for mobiles), their Parties (eg rent/support staff costs), their relatives (eg rent) and not to mention "a bit of folding" in the shape of Petty Cash (£250, no problem), et cetera, et cetera.
MLAs must be rubbing their hands in glee at having such a tame overseer of their expenses' claims.
Mark, I bet there are many in the BBC who wish they had as tame a DG as that employed by the Assembly Commission.?
Susie
Carryduff
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susie
Your analysis disproves my suggestion of you
being the next editor of "Private Eye"
I'm more scared of what you could be !
The Tax Inspector !!!
You must be enjoying MLA expences !!!
I'll change my name and keep my head down !!!
Did you see my earlier posts ?
Who is "robin"Newton?
What is his history?
Please don't pick on the wee guy !!!
Bigger fish in the Assembly !!!
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susie
Your analysis disproves my suggestion of you
being the next editor of "Private Eye"
I'm more scared of what you could be !
The Tax Inspector !!!
You must be enjoying MLA expences !!!
I'll change my name and keep my head down !!!
Did you see my earlier posts ?
Who is "robin"Newton?
What is his history?
Please don't pick on the wee guy !!!
Bigger fish in the Assembly !!!
From website Trevor Reaney said,
appointed 2004 as "Chief Executive of the
Northern Policing Board"
"WE ARE LEARNING FROM WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER
PLACES AND THINGS WILL IMPROVE OVER TIME"!!!
C R A P !!!
"THEY ARE PROVIDING THE TAXPAYER WITH VALUE
FOR MONEY"
C R A P !!!
wee Sammy do you agree ???
Trevor Reaney is so famous that Google doesn't
show the name !!!
For those that are interested, Trevor Reaney
began his career in hospitality.
NOW GIVING OUT FREEBIES TO MLA'S?
Don't eat the Spam sandwiches,you'll revert !!!
A big puzzle for me away from NI?
Susie,sorry about long response,but
your gut feelings are spot-on!
Susie,do you thing Mark will respond ???
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I now know where a comment can come from
a deputy DFM comes from !!!
Mark,
a post to stop comment or get the next BBC interview ???
Ask real questions,you might get real answeres !!!
What has "redbreast" got on the BBC ???
spinspamspun,looking for the truth !!!
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Mark
Expenses are here again !!!
MLA's claims are obsene.
Lying,thieveing,stolen,grasping,cheating,not
many influences left !!!UK plonkers !!!
What's type is the future???
contact me whitch if any anyone wants the saddo the
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@ 'Walnut Desk'
Very impressive, must be to match the wooden head.
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So Mark Reaney reckons MLA's expenses claims were reasonable....! As the person shown to be the highest earning Secreteriat Official in his role as Clerk to the Assembly/ Director General apprantly earning in the region of £110k in a full year (Moderator: if in doubt look at the Resource Accounts for the Northern Ireland Assembly for the year ended 31/03/2009 page 17)his views must be challenged and he must be reminded he is a public servant not a spokes-persons for MLAs and be held accountable for his actions.
As an example I would challenge Mr Reaney to consider the rent claimed by 2 East Londonderry UUP MLAs paid to their UUP landlords in respect of offices in Coleraine & Limavady. The figures appear excessive all the more so since the landlord does not even pay for repairs never mind improvements. One of the UUP MLA's only served one term in office (during a period of suspension) so it is interesting to look at the rental figures for all available years and consider the question of value for the public purse.
No doubt there are many such examples the triple jobbing DUP Councillor, MLA & MP whose Coleraine base is in Bushmills Road would be worth looking at in this regard, but sadly I would not expect Mark Reaney to want to speak out against such matters in the same way as I would not expect a turkey to vote for Christmas.
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bushmill
IT'S TIME FOR A LEGG OVER HERE
Yes, definitely, Ulster needs a Legg over here. How can the public have any faith in a Director General who seems to be acting as a cheerleader for MLAs?
The more I examine the expenses' details on the Assembly website the clearer it becomes that there is significant fraud taking place.
Sir Thomas Legg would have a field day in face of the shyster behaviour that many of our MLAs display with their Mickey Mouse claims.
By the way, why have we been denied sight of the unredacted receipts that supported these swindlers' claims? Answer: the Assembly Finance Office didn’t ask for them. A case of taking the easy way out: pay the claims, no questions asked.
I want a Legg over, NOW!
Susie
Carryduff
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Be Carefull Susie The Moderators will wake up
Seriously there is a westminister story which will open
a few eyes but it will take about 3 months to work through the system.
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#18 bushill_1608
I have no knowledge of tax law and the benefits that
companies and trusts may have.
Spent time in Charity Registar web to find out !
So far,failed !
Besides the banner headlines of the Paisleys being the "largest"
and Sinn Fein being the "greatest" in rent-grab,have you
noticed the names of organisations who receive this money ?
HMRC should get involved.Take some of the pressure off the wee man !
Addresses from MLA's landlords:-
Cookstown District No3
Tyrone Cultural Society
Brian Quinn
Sarcon(No250Ltd)
South Derry Cultural and Heritage Society
Lagan Valley Imperial Association
Who else benefits ?
"bushmill",I see you don't like G Campbell,one of many !
Your post name is on his Coleraine address !!!
Lucky for you,you didn't copy his Limavady address !!!
"Jackie Chan units 3+4, Sindy's Shopping Mall"
Haven't stopped laughing yet !!!
Time for a large glass of the "black"
I'll put it down to office consumables!!! You pay!!!
#19
SusieFlood calling for a LEGG over.
I've wanted Legg over here for weeks !
Agree A Legg over(here!)would solve a lot in the punter's mind !!!
Would welcome the expenses of Westminster/Stormont/Council to
be analysised to reveal double/triple claiming.
I will now dream that the Leggover here will happen!!!
I'm a DREAMER!wakeup in a morning,hoping that all the grasping
MP's,MLA's,Council people at least can justify their claims !
A Dreamer who wants a Legg over here.
Tired with this one finger typing!!!
May take a week,but catching(the tortoise)up!!!
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Bushmill, Spinspamspun, Susie,
I would love to see Thomas Legg over here too. 2 reasons why he is needed -
1. To get our MLA's to pay back the money they have cheated from us. It is not fair that so many people are struggling yet these MLA's think nothing of it for scamming us.
2. To unearth who ownes Gregory Campbell's office. You may or may not remember back in February 2008 when Gregory and Conor Bradford got stuck into each other. At the time Gregory stated that he pays his wife rent for the use of the constituency office and he employs his wife full time. Then in May 2009 Gregory stated that no one in his family owns his office and he only employs his wife on a part time basis. It appears that either doesn't know who owns it or there is something fishy and he won't declare it. Within weeks of the second admission in May 2009 Gregory then represented the DUP by giving evidence to the Sir Christopher Kelly inquiry into MP expenses. Not only does it appear to be DUP policy to mislead the electorate it is all the parties.
Just on another thought it is time that all council expenses were opened up to the public. If our elected representatives are happy to scam us in Parliament and Stormont then why would they stop at council level?
Stormontspy
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Mark:
No, I don't think that Gordon Brown deal was a "con"; But, I will
wait until the details are fully in...
~Dennis Junior~
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Mark,
I know Sammy said people who leaf through expenses have an unhealthy obsession but I love it. I have spent a fair while today looking through it and some of the claims are unbelievable. It is a wonder some film director hasn't come up with a new film - "Stormont: The expenses revealed." Question you would ask - who gets the leading role? Well there is no answer as there are so many people in contention.
Some of the weird claims I came across that were paid -
MLA's spending money on shredding.
Business cards.
Nearly £2000 in 1 year on Petty Cash.
Website Hosting yet the MLA does not have a website.
One MLA got their office windows cleaned 23 times in 1 year.
Payment off Office Insurance to their own company.
Tax return.
An MLA paid their own party for media training.
As for travel claims In 2008/9 Rev Coulter had £5800 on mileage. Surely Conor Murphy should have promoted the free bus pass. Also a Belfast based MLA spend £9000 in travel.
Why would anyone want to get off the gravy train?
Stormontspy
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